Artist in Residence 2014-2015
I love to work with my hands and know that I can give the most back to this world through my craft of jewelry creating. I was born an artist. This craft runs in my blood and by pursuing a career as a professional artist I am carrying on my parent’s field, my mother is a seamstress and my father a high school art teacher. Ever since my first metals class the summer between my freshman and sophomore year of college I have found that I cannot stop sketching and drawing jewelry designs, filling sketchbook after sketchbook. Then when my hands are working with metal behind my bench to make the designs come to life I am my happiest. But my work goes beyond creating aesthetically pleasing objects I strive to make this world a “greener” place, through environmentally friendly practices. Through promoting public transit through jewelry art, breathing new life into vintage jewelry in my series Vintage Reconstructed, and finally in my newest quest to give chipped, unwanted gemstones a new look with my alternative resin series.
Green, the moment and the mindset of the future to better our earth for future generations, so what better why for me to contribute then through my language metals. This summer I concieved and undertook a project I called Transportation, Movement, Destination. In this art show that took place at The Goat Coffee House on Water Street in Eau Claire, I created my series Bus Routes of Eau Claire to promote and encourage the use of the Eau Claire Transit system through jewelry art. In short, I proportionally reduced the different colored bus routes to fit on the surface of a pendant, then with a faux enamel process I developed adhered them to the surface. But it did not stop there! There were different diameters to the circle pendants to indicate at what time that particular bus stopped at the transfer center and a sterling silver ball to represent the transfer center and help orientate you. Improvement can be made through each little step.
Progress can also be made in the production of jewelry toward a greener future. Instead of throwing away or letting older jewelry sit in a draw, I started a series I call Vintage Reconstructed, in which I take parts of vintage jewelry (e.g. clip-on earrings, cufflinks, etc.) and remake them into a new more modern, wearable adornment. This is a great way to still honor the past and the history of the pieces, while at the same time giving it a new functional life.
Another item in the jewelry world that sometime seems like it is at the end of its life are chipped gemstones. Once a stone is chipped it has dramatically lost its value, but in my eyes not its vibrancy. At my mentor’s Robert Giede Designs, a successful jeweler in Menomonie, Wisconsin we are constantly getting in chipped stones when clients opt to melt down their current gold into their new design. These stones get pushed into the throw away pile. But I have an idea! I am really interested in alternative jewelry, pushing the limits, and developing alternative techniques. Next I want to continue to explore the world of resins and take these dusty gemstones with me. Through a mold making process I intent to create a marble like pieces that encapsulates these damaged “unless” stones into a new format. Preserving its glitz in its new form as a clear “bead” with a little sparkle.
In addition to my green conservation efforts, what really drive my passion of creating art is the ability to positive influence another’s life without myself actually being present, a piece of myself represented through my work in efforts to positively influence another’s life. Bringing a smile and joy into another’s life through my jewelry art. I am excited to receive an opportunity to create my ambitious work in a positive community driven space at Christ Church Cathedral.
-Elizabeth Stingl
Casual Ore Formal Jewelry Design
Read about Elizabeth's jewelry business in Volume One.
